Identification apparatus



IDENTIFICATION APPARATUS Filed Feb. 11, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR. Aug wt H. Maya 2' A TTORNEY.

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mmuurcuxon APPARATUS Filed Feb. 11.. 1931 2 Shula-Show 7 a i 1 a W a u 24 %25 4/ A! i V v uvmyron. Augwi H. M ys r A TTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 30, 1934 IDENTIFICATION APPARATUS August 1!. Meyer, Oshkosh, Wis.

Application February 11, 1931, Serial No. 514,944

3Claims.

The present invention relates to an identification apparatus and more particularly to one for use in identifying participants in bank holdups.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for photographing the participants in bank robberies at .a number of predetermined intervals of time and from several points of view to secure a pictorial record of the robbery for purposes of aid in identification and apprehen- S1011 of said participants.

Various other objects will be apparent from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring system of one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a bank showing a typical installation of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a camera forming a part of the apparatus.

Bank burglaries in the nighttime are much less feared now than formerly because of time control mechanism and various protective devices which makes access to vaults almost an impossibility. As a result the more spectacular and more danger-v ous daylight holdups' have been executed to enable the burglars to gain control of banks while the vaults are open.

The daring manner in which such holdups have been carried out forestalls any resistance on the part of the clerks. Hence the only safe thing for the clerks to do is to get as good a view of the participants, before they are compelled to lie on The applicant has invented an apparatus for taking a plurality of successive pictures at predetermined time intervals and from a number of points of view which records the holdup in a series of pictures and which shows the participants in a number of attitudes.

Referring now to the drawings, a plurality of floor treads and pushbuttons 1 or other circuit closing means are conveniently placed about the bank in places most, accessible. All are preferably connected in parallel by means of leads 2 and 3 which connect with the battery 4 or other source of power and with a magnet 5 for operating the first contactor 6, respectively.

The said contactor 6 is preferably a tilting mercury switch since the electrodes thereof are protected and will not corrode during idleness.

As one of the floor treads 1 is pressed, the circuit through the leads 2 and 3 is closed, and the electromagnet 5 is energized. The armature 7 of the switch 6 is attracted and the switch 6 tilted, causing the mercury globule 8 to shift by force of gravity to the end of the tube 9 of the switch 6, which contains a pair of spaced contact points 10 and 11 which are normally insulated one from the other.

The mercury 8 covers the points 10 and 11 and forms a conductor for the current from the battery 4 which flows through the leads 12 and 13 to the camera shutter magnet 14.

The lead 12 is tapped to provide current, through the lead 15, for the electromagnet 17. The lead 16 is tapped in on the main line 4' running from the battery 4. Current flowing through the leads 15 and 16 energizes said magnet 17, attracting the armature 18 of the tilting mercury switch 19.

This causes the mercury 20 to flow to the end of the tube containing the contact points 21 and 22, as described with reference to the operation of the switch 6.

The operation of each switch is substantially the same, with the exception of the last to operate. The operation of said switch will be more fully described hereinafter.

It will be seen that the various operations are controlled from the floor tread or pushbutton 1, and that they follow in sequence with a predetermined time lag between them. When the floor tread 1 closes the control circuit, the switch 6 is tilted as described above. The switch 6 controls the camera shuttermagnet 14 which opens the shutter 23 of the camera 24 for a predetermined time interval. The switch 6 also causes the switch 19 to tilt by closing the circuit through the magnet 17. The switch 19 controls the flash bulb 25 causing it to ignite and provide the necessary light for the exposure while the shutter 23 of the camera 24 remains open. The shutter 23 closes automatically, the mechanism of which is well known and forms no part of the invention.

The switch 19 also causes the magnet 26 to be energized, operating the switch 27 which causes the shutter 28 of the second camera 29 to open for a predetermined time, in the same manner as described with reference to the switch 6. At the same time, the magnet 30 is energized, and the switch 31 is tilted to close the circuit which ignites the flash bulb 32 to provide illumination for the second exposure. I

The number of cameras and flash bulbs used for the purpose of identification depends upon the size of the bank. The extent to which the system can be carried is practically unlimited.

34, the lamp 49 to the flash bulb 36, and the lamp 3 I Each mercury switch operates a circuit to per- -36 and causes the switch 3''! to tilt andring a gong 38.

The time lag between the operation of the various switches may be controlled by the length of the tubes and the angle of tilt of the switches.

The floor tread 1 also operates a relatively high 'voltage alarm circuit through the leads 39 and 40 that the gong 38 ought not be rung until after the pictures have been taken.

The use of an outside gong is optional. In some localities, the-gong would not be desirable since .it only frightens the burglars and tends to increase the danger of injury to the workers inthe bank. In other communities, it would be the only means of calling helpas in small towns where the police department consists of a single constable.

The switch 37, being the last of the group illus'trated in the drawings, is not required to close any circuits beyond the alarm 38 and, as suggested above, differs in function from the other switches in that respect.

a The cameras 24, 29, and 34 may be placed as shown in Fig. 2, to cover the strategic positions in the bank. The flash bulbs 25,82, and 36 are placed near the cameras in such a position as to afford the best illumination and not.to cast their light upon the lens of the camera taking the picture. The camera 34 or an additional one may be placed outside the bank to photograph the manner and'direction of escape. The light outside is considerably better, and the flash bulb may be dispensed with. It is' thus possible to use a movie camera with a wide angle lens to be sure to photograph the burglars in flight.

It may be desirable in some instances to employ open circuit wiring to actuate the apparatus. Reference to'closing circuits is meant to include actuating by opening circuits where the result accomplished is substantially the same. I

In order that the system may be tested without exposing the films and ringing the gongs and igniting the flash bulbs, provision is made for lighting incandescent bulbs corresponding to the various elements of the system. A double throw switch 43 is provided for breaking the alarm-camera circuits and establishing the circuits through the incandescent lamps.

The lamp '44 corresponds to the camera 24 and the police alarm 41, the lamp 45 to the flash bulb 25, the lamp 46 to the camera 29, the lamp 47 to the flash bulb 32, the lamp 48 to the camera 50 to the gong 38. To test the circuits, the double throw switch 43 is thrown into the lamp circuits,

and the floor tread 1 is pressed. If the system is in good working order, the incandescent lamps will light in succession, beginning with the lamp 44 and continuin with the time lag between flashes corresponding to the lag in taking pictures, until all have been illuminated.

The description of the method of testing the apparatus best illustrates its operation during a robbery. When the floor tread 1 is pressed, the shutter 23 of the camera 24 opens and the police gong 41 rings. Before the shutter 23 closes, the flash bulb 25 ignites. Then in succession the shutter 28 of camera 29 opens, the flash bulb 32 ignites, the shutter of camera '34 opens and the flash bulb 36 ignites, and the gong 38 rings.

It will be seen that the order of ringing gangs and operating the cameras is a matter of choice, and that the present description is illustrative only.

While the apparatus has been directed for use in photographing bank holdups, it'is neverethless suitable for paymasters stations and receiving tellers booths in department stores and theaters and the like. The specific nature of the above description was not intended to limit the invention to the exact form described herein. Itwill also be understood that various switches may be used in place of the mercury contactors.

Various other modifications may be used within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: a a 1. In an identification apparatus, in combination, a plurality of cameras, an electrically operated shutter on each of said cameras, a plurality of shutter circuits arranged in sequence, a switch for each circuit, an electro-magnet operating each j switch, each switch being disposed to simulta 2. In an identification apparatus, in combination, a plurality of cameras, an electrically-operated shutter on each of said cameras, a plurality of shutter and illumination circuits arranged alternately in sequence, a switch for each circuit, an electro-magnet operating each switch, each switch being disposed to simultaneously close its respective shutter or illumination circuit and the electro-magnet circuit controlling the next switch in the sequence, and a master circuit for actuating the first of the shutter circuits of the sequence.

3. In an identification apparatus, in combination, a plurality of cameras, an electrically operated shutter on each of said cameras, a plurality of shutter and illumination circuits arranged alternately in sequence, a circuit arranged to operate a warning signal, a switch controlling each of 

